Olympic Ring Crystals

This is the perfect science activity for your children to do. It’s very easy to do and your child will be able to observe crystals growing within the hour. Crystals are absolutely gorgeous and it’s hard to believe that they can be so easily grown in your home or classroom. Of course you don’t have to make Olympic Rings like we did, you can make whatever shape or word you like using the pipe cleaners.

Recommended age for this activity: 5 years +

(Strict and active supervision is required at all times)

To make crystal Olympic Rings you will need:

Boiling water

Borax

Jar or container

Coloured pipe cleaners in Olympic colours

String

Stick

Begin by cutting your pipe cleaners in half and moulding them into a circular ring shape. You might choose to link them together or make them as individual rings.

What is important to know about the Olympic rings

There is lots of wonderful facts about the Olympic Rings that you might like to share with your child and you are the best judge to know which ones they are going to be able to understand and appreciate the most. For young children it might just be to learn that there are Olympic Rings and to show them a picture of what they look like. Here are some more things your child mind find interesting –

5 interlocking rings

Each ring represents the five continents

Colours are blue, yellow, black, green and red. White boackground

Uses colours appear on all the flags of the nations that compete in the Olympic Games

Setting up the science activity

Tie a piece of string to the pipe cleaner ring and a paddle pop lolly stick so it hangs down into the jar.

Making the solution to grow crystals

Add 2 cups of boiling water with 1/2 cup of borax powder and stir it very, very well before adding it to the jars with your hanging pipe cleaners inside. It’s very important that you make sure the pipe cleaner is completely submerged as any parts of the pipe clean not in the solution will not grow crystals. If you don’t have enough liquid to submerge the pipe cleaner then make up the solution again with the same ratio. Topping it up with water will dilute the solution and not create crystals.

Tip

It’s a great idea to keep the size of your Olympic Ring small enough so that, once it does have crystals on it, you will be able to remove it.